Youth Services/Beyond the Bell

It is our firm belief that very child has a need and right to participate, in the presence of a responsible, caring adult, in engaging activities that support achievement and promote social, emotional , and physical development beyond the regular school day.  Beyond the Bell ensures that all children and in the Los Angeles Unified School District have access to high quality, safe, and supervised education, enrichment, and recreation programs that engage and inspire learning.

 

Since the early 1900’s, Youth Services has provided a safe place for students during the critical hours after school at no cost to families.  Historically, the program has provided supervision of organized games and activities in a recreational setting for those students who drop-in to the program.  The Beyond the Bell – Youth Services program is a permissive program.  Students sign-in and leave the program by their own volition.  Children are expected to conduct themselves appropriately and may lose the opportunity to participate if their behavior is disruptive. 

 

The goals of the program are to provide wholesome, supervised enrichment, fitness, and other sport activities in safe neighborhood environments.  The program emphasizes physical fitness that develops basic movement skills, strong and healthy bodies, teamwork, sportsmanship, cooperative social skills and activities that reinforce the skills learned in the regular instructional program.  The tenets and teaching model of the national CHARACTER COUNTS program is implemented to instill and reinforce the back-to-basics effort to build good character in our youth.   Additionally, the Youth Services program provides nutrition, fitness and enrichment activities that best meet the needs of the participants including targeted populations of foster youth, low income and English learners. The organized activities promote good-health and self-esteem.  Importance is placed on teaching youth to make informed decisions on healthy food options and to engage in daily moderate to vigorous physical activity. 

 

A daily “homework time” is scheduled on each Youth Services After School Program site.  Students are provided a designated area and time (often the last hour of the program) to work on their homework.  Staff will help students to stay on task and ensure the homework is available for parents and guardians to check and review with their children.

 

Staff is trained in restorative justice techniques to assist students in resolving conflicts and to provide students strategies they can use to foster positive peer relationships.

 

Specifically at Portola, Youth Services Plus offers sporting, dancing, drill team and more after school.